The German government has approved the supply of weapons to Saudi Arabia for 44.2 million euros, despite serious export restrictions, the German Ministry of Economy said at the request of Bundestag deputy from the Left Party Sevim Dagdelen.
As stated in the message of the department, the approved batch included exported weapons for joint projects with NATO allies and other EU countries. Military weapons account for 7.1 million euros in exports, other weapons – 37.1 million euros. This amount includes the Tornado and Eurofighter fighters, which are manufactured in the UK. The German government also allowed the United States to export warship components to Riyadh in the amount of 40.8 million euros, which initially came from Germany, writes RBC with reference to German media.
Prior to the change of government in Germany in 2021, despite a massive arms export ban, Saudi Arabia was awarded 30 special export licenses for joint projects with alliance partners worth 2.52 million euros. In 2020, 51 permits were issued in the amount of 30.75 million euros, in 2019 – only 800 thousand euros. According to the Ministry of Economy, the amount for which Germany issued permits to Riyadh in 2022 is the largest in four years.
In November 2018, the German government announced a complete cessation of arms supplies to Saudi Arabia due to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. On December 4, Stern magazine reported that one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of military equipment and weapons, the German concern Rheinmetall, supplies ammunition to Riyadh.
Source: Rosbalt
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